The US should help Ukraine dissect Crimea from Russia, not seize it

Retaining sufficient stockpiles of man-portable anti-air and anti-ship missiles for a looming defense of Taiwan, the United States should arm and otherwise support Ukraine until Russian President Vladimir Putin recognizes the costs of war outweigh any feasible gains.

Yet, as Russia adopts a static defense strategy and Ukraine prepares for a spring counteroffensive, the question of Crimea is again rising in relevance — specifically, whether the U.S. should support a Ukrainian effort to retake the peninsula. This is not likely to be a hypothetical concern.